Why Veterans Excel in Business Careers

There are many potential jobs for military veterans when they enter the civilian workforce, in part because the military helps develop practical skills while providing training. Many veterans, however, find that one of the best jobs for veterans is in business.

There is a long tradition of veterans opening businesses and leading in business. Bob McDonald of Procter & Gamble, Alex Gorsky of Johnson & Johnson, and many other business leaders served their country before joining the world of business.

Why the Military Can Prepare You for a Business Career

There are many skills veterans learn that transfer well into a business career, including the following:

Discipline Organizing entire departments and giving business work 100% is essential for success, but that means business people need to be disciplined enough to keep going and keep trying. The military teaches discipline through training. Soldiers and military personnel have to be willing to wake early, work every day, and keep going – the same qualities that makes veterans attractive to businesses.

Hard Work The military is famous for making its personnel work hard. During missions, military personnel may need work virtually around the clock to achieve their targets. Businesses also require lots of hard work, which is one reason why military veterans are so attractive to the business industry.

Perseverance One of the first things that military personnel are taught during training is to never give up. This lesson is highly respected in the business world, where persistence is prized.

Leadership Military life involves listening to orders (and following them) but also eventually leading teams. Being able to listen to team members is crucial in business, as is leading employees. Companies prize leadership and veterans often have this trait.

Organization Military life is strongly structured and organized. Personnel must be able to stay organized to meet their objectives. This skill becomes crucial in business as well, where veterans can use their organizational skills to structure projects and companies. Lowell C. McAdam, for example, learned organization in the military before becoming chairman and chief executive of Verizon Communications. His organizational skills helped him lead the company.

Adaptability In the military, personnel must be able to acclimatize very quickly as conditions and missions change. Personnel must also be willing to travel and use their skills across a range of situations. Outside of the military, this quality can give veterans an edge because they know how to use their skills effectively in different types of settings and because they can alter course as business industries and situations change. In the current fast-paced world of business, adaptability is key.

Various Work ExperiencesVarious Work Experiences. The military offers a range of work experiences and most personnel have to travel and interact with different cultures and very different types of people. Military personnel need to be able to work together with people even if they don’t have much in common. After the military, veterans can use this skill to interact successfully with diverse teams and different types of customers and clients.

Business Careers that Offer the Best Jobs for Veterans

The business world is huge and diverse. If you’re a veteran, how can you choose from the many types of opportunities available? While military life may prepare you for a range of opportunities, you might be interested in some careers more than others.

Business Administration Positions

Veterans’ administration careers can offer great opportunities for those who have learned discipline and hard work in the military. Business administrators have a managerial role and help with product development, budgeting, sales, and business growth. In many cases, a business administrator job can lead to upper management positions and other good opportunities, making veterans’ administration careers an option for veterans interested in advancing further.

Veterans are often a good fit for administrator positions because their military training makes them good leaders, planners, and organizers. Administrators often have to work with many types of people while juggling many tasks and projects. Life in the military can prepare veterans for this type of demanding position.

Administrators need to learn about leadership, planning, legal issues, computer systems, finance, and more. A Business Administration Diploma and military experience can help veterans seek entry-level administration jobs while a Business Administration Associates Degree can help veterans look for entry-level business management opportunities. At Vista Military, a Business Administration Associates Degree can be pursued online and can be completed in 70 weeks.

Administrators are sometimes able to command salaries of over $101,000 or more, although salaries range widely depending on specific companies and positions.

Business Management and Managerial Careers

Managerial positions at larger companies can involve helping hire and train new employees or overseeing departments to ensure that a company’s work is on track to reach business goals. At a smaller company, a business manager might report directly to the owner and can be responsible for budgeting, overseeing operations, and generally ensuring that everything runs smoothly. Managers can earn six-figure incomes with some experience and in some companies.

Veterans usually have experience leading teams, managing a range of situations, and adapting their skills across a range of tasks. These qualities can be very useful when seeking a managerial position, since managers are expected to have these abilities.

Securing a Business Management Associate’s Degree can pave the way for seeking managerial work. In an associate’s degree, you will learn about business computer systems, production and operations management, and human resources management, among other topics. In a Business Management Bachelor’s Degree at Vista Military, you will take 140 weeks to learn the basics of marketing, finance, economics, accounting, management, and more.

Human Resources Specialist

Human Resources (HR) Specialists help employees navigate their position in a company. They also help managers and business owners assist their workers. In a larger business, there may be many HR specialists, each dealing with a specific area. For example, the recruiting specialist may help with finding new personnel, the labor coordinator may help with the interpretation of labor laws, the payroll specialist may make sure that everyone gets paid on time, and the HR benefits specialist may help with the benefits packages the company offers. At a smaller business, one HR specialist may handle all of these tasks.

Human resource specialists can make $50,000 or over $90,000, depending on their qualifications and their specific roles.

Veterans may already have skills that can help them with an HR specialist position. HR professionals need to work with a wide range of people and be able to communicate effectively. In military life, strong communication is essential and personnel are trained to work effectively with many diverse types of people.

Financial Services Professional

Businesses need professionals to oversee their finances. Companies need bookkeepers, financial planners, and other financial professionals. At some companies, financial professionals can earn over $87,000.

Financial professionals need to have an understanding of finances as well as excellent planning skills. Veterans often have outstanding organization and planning skills, which can help them seek these types of opportunities. Having a Business Management Accounting Associate’s Degree can help you seek financial-based opportunities in different business industries.

HR Labor Coordinator

An HR labor coordinator makes sure that employment at a company works smoothly. This person might place ads for positions and then conduct interviews and screen applicants. He or she might help with the selection, training, and onboarding process to make sure that employee hiring is successful and follows all labor laws. If a contract is terminated, the labor coordinator may be in charge of making sure that the exit process for the employee is seamless. HR labor coordinators may earn high 5-digit figures or more than $100,000, depending on their experience, company, and qualifications.

Leadership positions in the military may prepare veterans for labor coordinator positions. Veterans also usually have the ability to listen, follow laws, and work with different types of people. These traits can be very helpful in HR coordinator jobs.

HR Benefits Specialist

Businesses often offer health plans, retirement packages, paid vacation, and other types of benefits. Overseeing these benefits and making sure that everyone gets the benefits they’re entitled to is usually a big and complex task, which is why many companies hire a Human Resources (HR) benefits specialist.

An HR benefits specialist is in charge of overseeing benefits and compensation programs. They may help employees sign up for benefits and may answer any questions workers have about their benefits. If an employee leaves the company or decides to change their compensation or benefits package, the benefits specialist will submit the appropriate paperwork and ensure that the changes go through. If a worker asks for something to be covered under a health plan or seeks vacation days or other benefits, the specialist will make sure that they get the appropriate benefits.

Veterans often have experience dealing with structured organizations and have worked with people extensively – traits that are important for benefits specialists. In addition to these traits, veterans may want to secure a Business Management Human Resources Associate’s Degree to look for benefit specialist opportunities.

Executive Administrative Assistants

Executive administrative assistants help executives run their busy lives. They schedule appointments, answer phones, help executives stay organized, oversee basic paperwork, and help with administrative assistant tasks. Some executive assistants may help with preparing reports and presentations as well. Depending on the company and the position, administrative assistants to executives may make slightly above minimal wage or may make six or even seven figures.

Veterans already have many of the skills that executives are looking for. Veterans are organized, hardworking, and good at taking direction. They’re also good at managing many types of tasks at the same time, which is important in a busy office.

Entrepreneurs

Many veterans are so used to leading that they launch their own businesses in their civilian life. The discipline, organization, bravery, leadership, and hard work that are necessary for success in military life are also required when running a successful business.

Two Marines Moving was established by Nick Baucom, a veteran who had learned dedication and hard work in the Marines. The company was named one of the fastest growing moving services. Susan Standifird established Mountaineer Technology Ventures after serving in the military for 11 years. Veterans have successfully founded small businesses or multi-national organizations.

Many veterans like the freedom and opportunity that entrepreneurship offers. Entrepreneurs get to set their own hours, choose businesses that they are passionate about, and pursue their dreams. They can earn a modest income or work hard to build large, successful businesses that make them millionaires.

Some veterans choose to pursue a business degree to learn the organizational and practical skills they need to succeed as company owners. Learning to manage finances and learning about labor laws, computer systems, and office procedures can help veterans understand how a successful business is run.

Are You Planning a New Career?

After a military career, there are many types of jobs for military veterans available out there in every type of industry. Veterans can enter fields as diverse as health care, IT, or even service sectors. If you’re looking for a job after leaving the military, however, you might want to consider business jobs for military veterans.

Many veterans find that the skills they have learned in the military transfer very well in the business industry and this field can offer interesting and fulfilling work. It’s possible to find well-paying jobs in business and jobs in this area are very diverse since businesses come in all types and sizes, from multi-national conglomerates to small socially-conscious companies. Some veterans even decide to launch their own businesses and really author their own destinies after their military careers.

Whether you’re interested in veterans’ administration careers, management positions, or are eager to launch your own company, it’s important to attend a military-friendly school or college if you decide to seek a degree or educational credentials. Military-friendly schools understand some of the challenges that veterans may face when transitioning to school life or civilian life and have the tools needed to assist with the tradition process. If you’re overseas or cannot attend classes easily, they may have online options to help you. They can also help you secure any benefits you may qualify for.

Whether you have served in the Marines, Army, Navy, Air Force, or Coast Guard, you have likely learned soft skills and specific skills that might transfer well into a business career. If you’re ready to start looking for a business position and want to secure practical educational credentials so that you can start seeking business jobs with confidence, contact Vista Military to find out what degrees you might pursue. Our military-friendly school offers online and in-class classes and programs for a variety of business opportunities.

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